Obituary of John David Kinrade

John David Kinrade (HBSc, MSc, PhD) On the evening of 20 Sept 2014, John passed away peacefully at Toronto General Hospital. He was 65 years old. John earned his PhD in Geology/Chemistry from the University of Toronto in 1979, an MSc in 1974, and an HBSc from Carleton University in 1972. For the fifteen years following his post-graduate work, he worked in industry, primarily in the area of analytical instrument design and methods development. John was appointed Professor of Biological Sciences & Applied Chemistry at Seneca College in August 1995, where he was adored by students because of his kindness, his boundless knowledge and his great passion for teaching. Praises from his students on-line are fervent: “An absolutely brilliant man …one of the brightest minds I've ever encountered”; “The most amazing prof and man that I have ever met …I believe he has probably had a positive influence on thousands. What a legacy to leave!!!”; “The best professor one can ever have …he's my idol.”; “He should be a role model for teachers everywhere. I hate school, I hate being stuck in a class and I hate listening to lectures, but with Dr. Kinrade, it made learning easy and fun. Best guy to talk to with a problem …whether it be school or personal, he will listen and give the best advice.” In his personal life, John was an avid gardener and historian, and was notorious for his eclectic collections, ranging from marbles to first edition books to antique scientific equipment. For the past few years, summer would find John kayaking the northern waters of Lake Superior and exploring the geological features of his favourite hideaway, Copper Island. John’s passion in life was in learning, doing and sharing this knowledge with his students, friends and family. John is survived by his much beloved daughter, Brie-Anne, as well as by his father, Frank (the late Eleanor Jean), his brothers, Jim (Beth) and Stephen, nieces Jade and Amber, nephews Paul and Alex and great-niece Lujah. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the John Kinrade Memorial Fund which, fittingly, has been created in his honour by the School of Biological Sciences & Applied Chemistry at Seneca College. Visit www.senecacollege.ca/donate or call 416-491-5050 ext. 77285. At John's request no service will be held.